


Romance 101

by Evil_Keshi



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, First Date, First Kiss, First Meeting, Fluff, Getting Together, Insecure Alec Lightwood, M/M, Romance, Virgin Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2018-12-09 22:56:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11678823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Keshi/pseuds/Evil_Keshi
Summary: In which meeting each other at the campus library is only the first step of something beautiful.





	1. Knight in shining armour

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Back with a little oneshots collection set in a college/university AU in which Magnus and Alec meet and tentatively start getting to know each other, which leads (maybe?) to something more. Here's the first oneshot, I hope you will like it ;)

  


Alec was sitting at the college library, focused on the notes Jace had written two days ago during their lecture about Medieval Literature that he had missed - a first in his life. Alec had made a point of never _ever_ skipping classes until then, both because he didn't want to slack and trail behind the other students who had attended all of the lectures and also because it never hurt to be seen in class by the professors.

But two days ago, Alec had been too sick to properly function: feverish, hot and then cold, his stomach had hurt all morning and he had been forced to admit that going through a day of classes would be too much, even for him. Well, if he had even tried to roll out of bed and get ready, his roommate would have tied him to his desk to make sure that he stayed inside and rested, so... Alec, for once, had chosen the easy way and agreed to let Jace go to the lectures on his own, with the holy mission of taking clean, accurate notes for his best friend.

He had done a wonderful job at that, so now that he felt much better, Alec was trying to catch up, sitting in a half-deserted corner of the library among a mountain of books, reading extra material on the Arthurian cycles to be as well prepared as he could for the next class, even though Jace had certified that they hadn't broached the subject of Mordred yet.

He was reading upon the battle of Camlann during which Mordred and Arthur had possibly fought against each other, when a brief, high-pitched scream resounded and startled him into dropping his book to look up.

Two seats to his right, a young man had scurried away from his table, books and pencils, staring at his belongings with an horrified expression on his face. Alec's eyebrows arched up in surprise, both at the behaviour of the student and at the student himself.

Alec knew Magnus Bane by sight and name, as he was not completely oblivious to the campus life and rumours, but it was the first time he actually was this close to the man and... He was staring, mouth open, nearly drooling as he took in the sight of this gorgeous man. Who was looking at him with an apologetic smile on his glossy lips.

"Sorry," Magnus said, beautiful eyes widening with the realisation that he had interrupted Alec's study session, "There was a spider in my book, it... I was surprised."

"N... No problem," Alec stuttered, blinking fast to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating.

No, he was not: Magnus truly looked handsome. Alec blushed as he noticed that he was still staring and he quickly looked down, bringing his attention back to the fight between Arthur and Mordred. Except... Except that next to him stood a model and he just couldn't focus on anything beside the glitter around his eyes, the rings adorning his long fingers and his plunging neckline. King Arthur was no match against Magnus Bane.

Alec tried not to glance at him but failed spectacularly; when he looked at Magnus again, he furrowed his brows as he realised that the young man was still standing, staring at his books, completely petrified.

"Are... are you all right?" Alec asked with some hesitation, unsure of what could shock Magnus that much.

"Yes, yes of course!" the other exclaimed a bit too loudly, "I just... It's still there."

"What?" Alec asked, more and more confused.

"The spider," Magnus admitted after a beat, waving vaguely towards his belongings.

Oh. Indeed. Alec held back a laugh, guessing that his fellow student would not take too kindly to it, but he smiled as he caught sight of one tiny and not-so impressive spider that remained still in the middle of Magnus' open book.

"You don't like spiders?" he said, trying to muffle the amusement in his voice.

"I despise them," Magnus grumbled, "Have you seen their hairy legs? And their eyes? And they stay perfectly immobile in their web and then they jump on their preys like... Holy crap, it's moving!"

Alec had never thought that he would get any closer to Magnus so shortly after meeting him for the first time but he was proven wrong as soon as the little spider moved closer to the edge of the book: in a heartbeat, the scared student had jumped away, gluing himself to Alec's side and grabbing his forearm.

"I hate spiders," he whispered, almost whined, in a breath.

Magnus genuinely looked upset and Alec was weak, so he decided that he might as well do something to make these beautiful eyes crinkle with happiness again.

"I can take care of it for you, if you want?" he suggested.

"My hero!" Magnus crooned, caressing his arm in a way that made a shiver run down Alec's spine, "Yes, please."

Nodding shakily, trying not to think about the warmth against his right side and Magnus' pretty mouth, Alec grabbed his notebook - oops, Jace's - and took a few steps toward the spot where the other man had left his own books. It took a little convincing but eventually, Alec managed to get the tiny spider to hop onto the notebook and the young man walked away, until he reached a dusty corner between two bookshelves where he deposited the small, frightening beast.

When he turned around, Magnus' eyes were filled with disbelief and something akin to softness.

"You... didn't kill it," he said, voice tinted with awe and wonder.

"N... No?" Alec answered, although it sounded more like a question. "I mean, it wasn't that big and definitely not a bloodthirsty threat, so I... I don't know, I just..."

"Oh my God," Magnus breathed out, a gentle smile curling on his lips, "Could you be any sweeter?"

Not sure that he was supposed to answer that, Alec remained silent and Magnus kept on:

"Thank you so much, you... Wait! I don't even know the name of my saviour! How outrageous! I'm Magnus, by the way..."

"I know," Alec blurted out before he could think his words over - and not sounding like a stalker would have been a far better way to introduce himself. "I mean, I... I'm Alexander. Lightwood. I... I mean, Alec."

Alec's cheeks were burning with shame at his own incapacity at forming proper sentences but it didn't last: Magnus' next words managed to put a shy smile on his red face.

"Well, thank you, Alexander," he said on such a suave tone that Alec's whole body shivered, "Thank you so much for saving me from this leggy demon."

"Y... You... You're welcome?" Alec squeaked as Magnus came closer, looking at him straight in the eyes with a playful grin.

"I would love to get to know my saviour a bit better," he added, "but sadly I have a lecture in less than ten minutes and I should be on my way... Maybe you can give me your number, though? You know, in case I need to call you to rescue me from an evil spider in my bedroom..."

Magnus held out his hand, offering his cell phone to Alec without the slightest hint of hesitation, and he smiled when he saw the hazel-eyed boy blush furiously but still take the phone from him. Honestly, this was the worst excuse Alec had ever heard - and he lived with Jace, so that was saying something - but he surprised himself as he entered his name and number in Magnus' phone with a wide grin.

After he gave the phone back to Magnus, earning himself a joyful smile from the other student, Alec watched in a daze as the young man picked up his bag and left the library, his traitorous heart skipping a beat as Magnus turned around and waved at him... And Alec beamed ridiculously back at him.

Oh God. He was in love.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! Let me know what you thought of this in the comments, it will help me see if this is worth continuing :) I have a few ideas for future oneshots but you can request some as well if you want, I'll see what I can do (as long as it stays in a college/university setting.) You can also send me requests on my [tumblr](http://like-a-bucky.tumblr.com/) or just come cry on Malec with me ;)


	2. Caffeine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you all for your feedback on the first chapter, I'm glad to see you enjoyed it! Here we go with the second one, in which Alec and Magnus meet again...

  


Magnus needed coffee in his life to survive. Survive long days of classes and lectures, survive even longer nights of studying and partying, survive every hitch down the road: really, everything seemed clearer in his mind when he had had his daily dose of caffeine - and beyond.

Two cups in the morning, with milk and, if he felt fancy, a bit of whipped cream and cocoa powder on top. A sweet coffee to wake up, perfect for Magnus, who then felt like he was slowly waking up in the warm arms of a gentle lover.

Around ten though, after his first class, he needed bitter, black coffee to keep him motivated for the rest of the day. There was no time for comfort and enjoyment with this one cup, Magnus would get his (frankly disgusting) coffee from one of the vending machines on the campus and run off to his next class; the hot paper cup in his hand was the only reason why he would stay awake during the two next lectures.

Around four though, Magnus would make the five-minute walk away from campus to one of the small yet dandy coffee shops he loved, where he could enjoy a fuming cup of coffee while he transcribed his notes of the day or took a head start on studying for upcoming tests. His order would depend on his mood of the day: coffee with a dash of cinnamon, or maybe hazelnut, sometimes an espresso if he really, really needed the energy, sometimes a cappuccino if he wanted to relax. Some days, he was actually in the mood for tea and the waiter would always bring him a few scones _on the house_ so really, who was Magnus to say no to that?

On that very day though, Magnus was facing a dilemma. His watch showed that it was already half past four in the afternoon and normally, he should already be seated in front of one of the large windows at the coffee shop, relishing his drink and a muffin. Problem? It was raining, as in the-sky-tore-open sort of raining, and Magnus had forgotten his umbrella at home... Worse, he had spiked up his hair that morning and going out in this downpour would ruin everything.

He needed his coffee, though. The only solution was to head for the closest vending machine which he knew stood just two hallways away from his current spot, and the thought filled his heart with despair: it was bad enough that he drank that sort of sickening beverage once a day for survival, but twice? Magnus shuddered.

And yet, he grudgingly went on his way to the vending machine, mourning in his head the perfectly good coffee he could have drunk if he had remembered to grab his umbrella when he left his flat.

"Oh, come on now..." a sad whimper reached Magnus' ears as he turned at the corner of the hallway, where he would find the vending machine.

The machine was there, yes, but a tall student stood there as well, turning his back on Magnus as he faced the spawn of Satan that was that vending machine and its horrid coffee. But Magnus didn't need to see the face of that young man to recognise him: his height, the dark colour of his hair and the square of his shoulders were enough to make him realise that before him stood his knight in shining armour, the brave sire who had killed the terrifying beast, the benevolent and blushing hero who...

Who was staring at him with the most beautiful, wide hazel eyes.

"Well, hello, Alexander," Magnus cooed as he took one more step ahead, getting closer to the young man. "What a surprise..."

And it was: Magnus had not expected to run in the young man so soon. After all, they had never crossed paths before their encounter at the library two days ago and even though Magnus meant to call his saviour - but not too soon, he couldn't let Alexander think that he was desperate to see him again (newsflash: he was) - he had not thought that fate would have them meeting again like this.

"M... M... Magnus!" Alec stuttered in surprise, smile wide on his lips. "H.. Hi!"

Okay. Alexander was too cute for his sanity. While Magnus had immediately noticed, that day at the library, the handsome man sitting next to him, it had taken the intervention of a little (Magnus kept saying it had been huge though) spider to make him realise that Alexander was also kind, goodhearted and despairingly unaware of the effect he had on Magnus. And Magnus didn't usually have a problem with flirting with cute boys and girls and leave it at that, but Alexander? Flirting with him, sleeping with him even, would not be doing him justice. This boy oozed innocence, it was written in the depths of his hazel eyes, and Magnus wanted to protect this innocent heart. He had to take this young man on a date and see if he had been right, if Alexander was the gentle soul Magnus believed him to be, and maybe they could have something together...

Well, if Magnus stopped staring at Alexander like an idiot and actually talked to him.

"Trouble with that demon?" he asked with a nod at the vending machine.

Alec's face fell all of a sudden and Magnus almost regretted asking the question.

"Yes," the young man admitted with a sigh, "I wanted to get a coffee but... The machine ate my money. Twice. And now I'm all out of coins and I really, really wanted that coffee."

He looked so dejected, with that little pout he probably wasn't even aware of doing, that Magnus didn't think.

"I was about to head out to one of the coffee shops nearby," he blurted out, "maybe you would like to come with me and have a coffee there? It's on me."

"Wha... No!" Alec exclaimed with wide eyes, "I can't accept that, I can't let you pay for my..."

He shut up as soon as Magnus placed a finger on his rosy, slightly chapped lips, and went cross-eyed as he tried to look at the other student's painted nail.

"Please," Magnus insisted, removing his finger once he was certain that Alexander would not protest any further. "I had planned to call you and ask you out on a date anyway, so... Maybe this could be our first date? If you accept, that is..."

If possible, Alec's eyes widened even more.

"You... Me? On a date? You want to go on a date with me?" he repeated, sounding so incredulous that Magnus was a bit taken aback.

"Is that... so surprising?" he asked carefully.

He was usually pretty successful with boys and girls alike, as in he had never been brushed off before. Would Alexander be the first to blow him, and not in the pleasurable way? Was he... not his type, maybe? Had he read all of this wrong? Maybe Alexander wasn't even attracted to guys, maybe the heavy blushing Magnus had witnessed before was due to something else...

"A little?" Alec mumbled, bringing Magnus back to the present. "I... I mean... I didn't think you would be interested..."

"Why would I have asked for your number if I wasn't?"

"I don't know," Alec answered - and there, the blushing was back. "To be polite, maybe?"

"Perhaps I should have made my intentions clearer," Magnus said, "But now that you understand that I would very much like to take you out, what do you say?"

Alec didn't actually _say_ anything: there was a bit more blushing involved, a shy nod, then a tiny smile that Magnus returned.

"Very well then, off we go!"

Magnus didn't point out Alexander's obvious surprise when he linked their arms to guide the young man toward the doors and beyond, to the coffee shop. Except that it was still heavily raining and Magnus had to resign himself to ruin his hairstyle and look like a drowned cat in front of Alexander - rain had the worst timing ever.

They hadn't taken two steps outside though, that the raindrops suddenly stopped hitting the top of his head, although it kept wetting the ground around him; as he lifted his eyes, Magnus saw the underside of the canopy of an umbrella, black and decorated with cute, white little fishes and their bubbles. He glanced at Alexander in wonder and, sure enough, there he was, holding an umbrella above both of their heads.

"Oh my God, you are perfect," Magnus breathed out, which made Alexander avoid his sparkling gaze shyly.

They walked in silence for a little while, pressed together under the umbrella (bless the rain!), Magnus enjoying this wonderful moment to the fullest and Alec, struggling to find something to say.

"So... You... You like coffee?" he finally asked.

Magnus laughed a little, able to see in Alexander's wide eyes the urge to slap himself as he realised how obvious the answer was.

"I _love_ coffee," Magnus stressed, and he couldn't help but add, "I love coffee just how I like my men: very hot."

Magnus thought that nothing could be more delightful than the dark blush that filled Alexander's cheeks when he locked eyes with Magnus and caught sight of his huge grin - but Magnus was proven wrong no more than ten minutes later, when Alexander bit into a chocolate muffin and let out a sinful moan of pleasure. That boy would be his undoing.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! Feel free to leave a comment and/or suggestions for other chapters if you want to, I'd love to know what you think and expect of this :) Until next time!


	3. What's up, Doc?

  


This was a disaster. _Alec's life_ was a disaster. He was supposed to spend his evening with Magnus: they had planned on grabbing a bite together - maybe sushi's, since Magnus knew a great place - and they had agreed on seeing a movie together after that. They hadn't decided which one yet, they would choose at the cinema, and Alec had been super excited to go on their second date and now...

This should have been his first second date ever. Magnus was his first in many ways: first date, first second date (now ruined, but Alec didn't want to focus on that or he would actually cry) and to be totally fair, first man to ever... pay attention to Alec. Thus, the young man had wanted to make this perfect, as much as he could, just as wonderful as their first date, so he had called Magnus himself after much hesitating and pushing from both Jace and Izzy. He had dialled the other student, stuttered his way through asking him out, made a fool of himself as he thanked him endless times for saying yes and now... Now Alec had to bail on him.

Because Alec was currently curled around the toilet and busy emptying the contents of his stomach. Why now?! He was almost never sick, usually, but it was the second time this week. Maybe he was still a bit weak from the last time and had caught the first bug going around? The cause didn't really matter, the result was a disaster: he was sick and there was no way he could go and meet Magnus like this, all sweaty and nauseous, with damp hair and shaky hands, about to retch every time he as much as turned his head.

"I told you not to eat the leftovers from the yellow Tupperware," Jace said somewhere behind him, standing in the doorway to the bathroom and leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest. "They looked a bit mouldy."

"Not helping, Jace," Alec heaved from his spot on the floor. "And I didn't. I ate the paella from the red one."

The mere thought of the rice and saffron he had eaten earlier was enough to set off a new wave of nausea and Alec whimpered, almost missing Jace's disbelieving gasp.

"Alec!" he exclaimed, horrified, "Izzy made the paella! How could you even risk it?"

Oh. Well, that explained everything, then. Food poisoning, nothing to do with the last time he had been sick and too weak to go to class... His sister's food was dangerous and they knew it, so every time she gave them a casserole or anything else that she had made with her own two hands, Jace and he usually put a post-it note on it as a reminder of who had cooked that dish. This time though, there had been no note, so how could Alec have known that he was sealing his fate with that cursed first bite?

"I have to call Magnus," he groaned as soon as he could utter a few words without being sick all over again.

Jace nodded and made himself useful by fetching Alec's cell phone in his bedroom; when he came back, he handed the phone over but asked:

"Do you want me to do it? If you don't feel well enough, I can explain the situation and..."

"No," Alec croaked out as he dialled Magnus' number, "I'll be fine, thanks."

Alec wasn't fine. Not at all. Utter exhaustion made his body feel heavy and he should probably forget about doing anything productive today and just go to bed. He had to warn Magnus that he couldn't make it that night though and this... This was awful. What if Magnus didn't want to go out with him anymore after that fiasco? What if he thought that Alec was only pretending because he didn't actually want to go on that date with Magnus?

Those dreadful thoughts took a turn for the worse as Magnus answered the call because now Alec had to actually tell him the bad news, except that the other man didn't exactly give him enough time to speak at all.

"Alexander!" Magnus exclaimed with so much joy in his voice that Alec could imagine the smile on his face, "I was about to call you! Tell me, what are you wearing?"

Alec's brain short-circuited.

"I... What?" he stammered, taken aback - was that a sexual question?

Magnus must have realised his poor phrasing, for he immediately added:

"Not like that! I meant, what are you wearing tonight? I was thinking of wearing something to match your outfit..."

"I... I actually can't tonight," Alec whispered, so low that he feared for a second that maybe Magnus hadn't heard him and he would need to repeat that. "I'm sick."

"You're... Oh," the other student said slowly. "I see. Well, it's all right, we can..."

"I'm so sorry, Magnus!" Alec blurted out all of a sudden, unable (unwilling) to hear what his not-date had to say. "I really wanted to go out with you and now I'm... I ate something I shouldn't have and I'm so sorry to cancel our plans like this but I'm really, really gross right now and I don't want to vomit all over you but..."

"Alexander," Magnus interrupted him firmly, "Hey, it's okay. Really. I mean, of course I'm disappointed and sad that we will have to wait for a bit longer before our date but... Focus on getting better for now, all right? You should get some rest."

"You... You're not mad?" Alec asked on a small, brittle tone.

He was _not_ crying. He was sick, of course his voice sounded a bit weird and his eyes were red, it had nothing to do with Magnus being so nice and understanding.

"Of course I'm not," the other answered fondly. "It happens. Now please, tell me that you aren't sick all alone at home, is there anyone with you?"

"Jace," Alec whispered, drawing his best friend's attention to him, "He's my roommate. He works later tonight, though."

"Good. Can I talk to him?"

Alec nodded, forgetting that Magnus couldn't see him, and he didn't even have the time to say goodbye as he felt nauseous again; he could only cry out Jace's name and toss him the phone, hoping he would catch it, before he buried his head in the toilet.

  


  


Alec must have fallen asleep. There was no other explanation to the fact that he was currently lying on his couch while he distinctly remembered puking in the bathroom the last time his eyes were open. Maybe he had passed out from exhaustion? Jace had probably carried him to the living-room and was now whipping up something in the kitchen, based on the light clanging he could hear from the couch.

Except that... A quick glance to the clock on the wall revealed that it was already six forty, which meant that Jace must have left for work at least twenty minutes prior... So who was in their kitchen?

"Izzy?" Alec called weakly, not too eager to see his sister right now - she was responsible for his cancelled date, after all.

The noise in the kitchen stopped, then Alec heard light footsteps instead of clicking heels and... Oh. Oh!

"Magnus?" he whispered in disbelief as the young man entered the living-room, gentle smile on his face and red shadow adorning his eyelids. "Am I... Am I dreaming?"

Magnus chuckled, getting closer with every step, until he could sit on the very edge of the couch.

"I'd say this is better than a dream, don't you agree?" he asked lightly, running one hand through Alec's sweaty bangs.

Sweaty. Oh shit.

Alec jerked away from Magnus' hand, sparing a thought for his upset stomach that, thankfully, didn't act up again, then he caught sight of the hurt look in the other man's wide eyes.

"Did I... overstep?" Magnus asked carefully, his hand still frozen between them.

"N... No," Alec replied, blushing but gathering what little courage he had to grab the other's hand and squeeze it in a reassuring way. "I just... I feel a bit disgusting right now. I should probably shower or something and... Wait. How... Why are you here?"

"You sounded so sad on the phone," Magnus explained with a renewed smile, "I wanted to surprise you. And you said that Jace had to work, so I thought I could watch over you."

"So now you're babysitting me instead of going on a date with me," Alec grumbled, a bit (a lot) bitter. "Great."

Magnus laughed again, a mischievous glint in his beautiful eyes.

"I would babysit you any time," he teased, but somehow there was something genuine in his expression, something that prompted a blush from Alec, who then felt a delicious warmth settle in his chest.

"Aren't there... rules?" the latter asked with a frown as he finally accepted that yes, Magnus was currently in his and Jace's apartment, looking so comfortable there that it made his heart beat like crazy. "I mean, I thought... Aren't we supposed to wait until our fifth or sixth date to go to each other's place?"

"Rules?" Magnus repeated, bewildered. "My God, Alexander, who did you date before?"

Alec remained quiet, feeling his throat dry up at the thought that he should probably tell Magnus that he'd had his first date only three days ago, with _him_. He didn't want to explain all of that right now though and Magnus didn't seem to expect an answer anyway, because he kept talking:

"Screw the rules," he declared with a bright grin. "We should be free to do whatever we want because we want to, not because stupid rules say that it's time. You know, I would have totally kissed you on our first date if you hadn't been so busy French kissing that chocolate muffin. And if I didn't know that you wouldn't enjoy it because you think you're a bit gross at the moment, I would kiss you _right now_."

Alec sputtered, struggling to say something, anything, but his brain had certainly died a little while ago, because he just couldn't say a word. Now all he could think of was Magnus' lips, which looked so smooth and kissable that it felt like torture to have them so close... Magnus broke him. But he also saved him from an awkward, drooling silence, by saying:

"Now, go have that shower while I heat up the soup. If you can handle it?"

"S... Soup?" Alec repeated, blaming his lack of eloquence every time Magnus was around.

"Soto ayam," Magnus explained, "It's a chicken noodle soup from Indonesia. I was born there, you know? It's delicious. I made it myself - and less spicy so that it would agree with your stomach."

Speechless, Alec could only gape and nod, eventually managing a soft, awed _thank you_ as he carefully stood up, half-expecting to have to run toward the bathroom - Magnus seemed a bit worried of that as well, if the concerned look he sent Alec's way was anything to go by.

What had Alec ever done to deserve such a sweet man in his life? A man who volunteered to take care of him at his lowest, who cooked for him, who wanted to _kiss him_ and was not afraid to say so... It felt like a blessing to have Magnus around. He just wished it would last.

Alec was nearly out of the living-room when he stopped, turning around to face Magnus who was still looking at him, probably to make sure that he wouldn't keel over on his way. Delicate eyebrows arched up in wonder and Alec took a deep breath, before he locked eyes with Magnus and said, as firmly as he could:

"Just so we are clear... If I wasn't sick, I would kiss you too."

  


(And he promptly fled to the bathroom.)

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy the story so far, let me know what you think about it :) Until next time!


	4. A study in kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with a shorter oneshot but I thought this was enough in itself. Enjoy :)

  


Alexander was right there, next to him, surrounded by his books and entranced in whatever it was he was reading. A quick glance told Magnus that he was lost in the _Vita Merlini_ , while a quick Google search revealed that it was Latin and meant _The life of Merlin_. So far so good. Except that Alexander was apparently reading this work in Latin without an English translation and _how_? Did he have any other super power that Magnus had never heard about?

He was supposed to study for his test on the next day while Alexander read and took notes for his evening lecture, so they were back to that isolated corner of the library where they had first met, except that Magnus could not concentrate on anything. His book on early Roman law lay there, forgotten, while the student looked at Alexander's long fingers turning page after page or at his mouth, sometimes silently forming the syllables of a Latin word of unknown meaning.

"Magnus," Alexander suddenly chided him, "Focus."

"I am focusing," Magnus shot back with a chuckle. "My subject is fascinating. It's called the Alexander Lightwood, have you heard of it? It's tall, lithe and smart, it has beautiful eyes and a heart of gold."

Oddly, that last comment was the one to make Alexander let out an embarrassed laugh, that quickly died down when the young man remembered that they were still in the library and should keep their voices down.

"You... You have a test tomorrow," Alexander reminded him, trying very hard (and visibly so) not to dwell too long on Magnus' compliments.

"Yes. But the Law of the Twelve Tables is not as fascinating as you, darling."

Magnus smiled when his fellow student hid himself and his blush behind his book, letting out a quiet and self-conscious whimper.

"Don't say that," he complained from behind the cover of the _Vita Merlini_.

"Why not?" Magnus asked with a frown. "My words are true, so why should I not tell you what I think of you?"

Alexander glanced at him and he must have thought that Magnus' wonder was genuine, because he lowered his book and eventually set it down completely - not without marking his page first, though.

"It's just..." he began, sounding and looking a bit hesitant as he nibbled on his lower lip and avoided Magnus' patient gaze, then he quickly whispered, "I... I'm never sure that you mean it."

Magnus' eyes widened at that and he opened his mouth, ready to gush about everything he liked about Alexander, but then he closed it. He didn't want to make him feel any more uncomfortable and maybe blurting out tons of compliments, although they were true, would not be helpful. However, he could not let Alexander think that his words were not sincere.

Gently, Magnus reached out for Alexander's hand in a controlled and slow move, so that the young man understood his intention and could withdraw his own hand if he wanted to; when he didn't though, Magnus laced their fingers together and squeezed, revelling in the warmth of their joined hands and the soft pressure when Alexander squeezed back timidly.

"I do mean what I say," Magnus whispered then, locking eyes with the other student and allowing a loving smile to spread on his face. "I would not say it if I didn't, I would never want to mock you."

"I know," Alexander answered as softly, "I guess I just don't see myself as you do."

Maybe that was true - and Magnus could not stand it, could not bear the thought that Alexander didn't see the wonderful human being he was.

"You bite your lips when you focus on your reading," Magnus said all of sudden, his thumb running smooth circles on the back of Alexander's hand, "You hold your books with care and your pens with elegance. You always stand so tall and yet, you hunch your shoulders a little, as if you were trying to make yourself look smaller. You don't smile often but when you do, it brightens the whole room. You are sweet and kind, even willing to help out a student you don't know who's afraid of a spider, and you are thoughtful; you are shy and you blush a lot but that's just endearing. You are full of surprises. That's how I see you. And I see that you are beautiful."

Magnus would have kept going for hours if Alexander hadn't suddenly interrupted him, surprising him all over again: he didn't see it coming but next thing he knew, gentle lips were on his, offering him a light kiss full of hesitation and boldness. Magnus melted against those lips, which backed away too quickly for his liking. Opening his eyes, that had closed of their own accord, he first saw the dark blush on Alexander's cheeks, his bright eyes, his parted lips, his posture that showed that he wanted to lean in again but didn't dare to, for fear of the reaction he would obtain.

Magnus was quick to reassure him: smile wide and bright on his mouth, he curled a hand around Alexander's neck, his fingers brushing the thin dark hair at the back of his head, and his chair scraped a little across the floor as he got closer.

"As I said," he whispered against Alexander's lips, "beautiful."

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Also, thank you for the subscriptions, kudos, bookmarks and comments! I'm really happy to know you enjoy this story, I hope it will keep going this way ^^ Feel free to leave a comment on this one, I'd be delighted to read what you think of it! Until next time~


	5. Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm back at last with another oneshot, planned since forever but delayed due to long fics that kept me extra busy. I should finish this collection this summer though ;) I hope you'll like this one!

  


Alec hurried to light up the candles on the small kitchen table inside his and Jace's flat, checking his watch every minute to keep track of the time. Magnus would be there any second now and everything had to be perfect. He hoped he wasn't overdoing it though... Were the candles too much? Was a candle-lit dinner too early for them?

No, no, no. No second-guessing now, no doubting, not when Magnus was on his way so that they could finally have their second date. Besides, hadn't he told Alec to ignore the so-called rules? They had kissed before going on their second date, Magnus had come to his place after one date only - and he didn't care, glad to take whatever he could get, glad to follow his own rhythm with Alec.

It was good - great, even. Alec loved it so far, giddy with happiness, and he was dying to actually spend more time with Magnus, on dates and not just at the library or when he was sick on his couch, and he was looking forward to kissing him again (very much so.)

Still, he nearly lost all his composure when the bell rang and he ran toward the door to open it and reveal Magnus, splendid in his white shirt adorned with golden spirals, smiling, holding a single rose.

"Hello, Alexander," he said with that velvety voice of his as he handed him the delicate flower, and it was too much for Alec to resist.

Thus, he didn't. He accepted the rose and smiled, before he listened to his body's and mind's want: his free hand sneaked behind Magnus' neck and pushed him forward so that their lips met. It wasn't like the first kisses they had shared in what was starting to become _their_ corner at the library because Alec didn't hesitate this time, strong in his confidence that Magnus would kiss him back.

When he freed Magnus' mouth, long seconds later, Alec stared at him and his closed eyes as he savoured the taste of their lips coming together for a while longer, until he blinked and opened his eyes again.

"I'm not complaining," Magnus chuckled, "but what was that for?"

"I... I wanted to?" Alec squeaked out, suddenly wondering if he had been too passionate when it was uncalled for. "And because I've never been offered flowers before? So I just... uh... wanted to thank you?"

"Never?" Magnus echoed, sounding shocked.

His surprise was clear and it was probably flattering that he kind of expected Alec to have been given lots of flowers in the past - but he suddenly dreaded that they would have the much-needed as well as much-awkward talk about his lack of expertise in the matters of relationships. Or dating. Kissing. Sex... ing?

"Never," Alec repeated firmly, before he took Magnus' hand in his and led him further into the apartment. "I hope you're hungry?"

"Starving," Magnus confirmed, unaware of Alec's attempt and success at changing the topic of their conversation. "It smells good in here... Did you cook?"

"Tried to, at least," Alec nuanced, growing shy all of a sudden as he glanced at the dishes still on low heat so that they'd remain warm enough.

Was he freaking out again? Nope. Not at all. What if his cooking wasn't to Magnus' tastes though? He'd gone for one of his favourite recipes, the one Jace swore was to die for but... Jace was his best friend since forever, what if he was merely trying to spare Alec's feelings? What if it was awful, what if Magnus didn't like it? Oh _shit_ , what if he was a vegetarian? He _had_ talked about getting sushi before but he'd never mentioned anything about eating meat. Well, he'd made chicken soup for Alec when he was sick but what if he didn't eat chicken himself or what if he didn't eat beef or didn't like the one Alec had made and what if he...

"Alexander?" Magnus called softly, a hint of concern creeping into his voice, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, sorry," Alec mumbled, snapping out of his panic, "Do you... want to drink something?"

He could do this, he thought as he presented a glass of wine to Magnus a few minutes later. Nothing to fear, he'd already stammered his way through inviting him, certainly he could survive a dinner with the most gorgeous man alive, right?

Right. It helped that Magnus probably caught on his nervousness and did his best to make him relax, sharing hilarious anecdotes from his classes and soon, Alec was smiling and laughing with him, the tension in his body loosening until the tight knot of stress at the bottom of his stomach disappeared. It turned out that Magnus loved the attention Alec had brought to their dinner, what with the candles, and he enjoyed the meal itself, to Alec's immense relief.

It became easier then. Easier to breathe, easier to focus on their evening together now that he didn't fear Magnus' judgement on his cooking anymore, easier to enjoy the way Magnus' lips stretched over a crispy potato, the way his finger played around the rim of his glass as they talked. Alec tried to concentrate on something else, afraid to lose his ability to talk if he kept staring.

He protested when Magnus offered to wash the dishes with him, to no avail, and Alec tried not to giggle at how domestic they looked, the two of them in front of the sink, Magnus washing while he dried and put the cutlery and plates in the proper drawer or cupboard.

"It's faster this way," Magnus told him, winking, "Then we can go back to the living-room and... make out on the couch, maybe? Sounds like a plan to you?"

"Bed," Alec corrected, before he realised what that sounded like and stammered, "I... I mean... Jace will probably come back from work at some point and I don't want him to..."

He gestured between the two of them with his dishtowel, not knowing what to add that wouldn't make Magnus think he was talking about having sex. Because he wasn't. That step would be one for a future day, a future night, after they'd talked some things through.

"Catch us kissing?" Magnus suggested when he realised that Alec couldn't find his words anymore.

"That," he said weakly, pushing one last glass into a cupboard and turning his back on Magnus so that he wouldn't see him blush. "So... Making out on my bed. Sounds good?"

The other man smirked and nodded, then he pressed a light kiss against Alec's neck.

"Lead the way."

Alec's nervousness came back at full force at that: no man, no man he was interested in anyway, had ever entered his bedroom. He brought Magnus inside though, almost shaking with nerves, and he gave him time to look around, to take in the books about medieval literature piling up on the desk, the clutter of his phone and laptop chargers tangled with his earphones, the clean pairs of socks he'd forgotten to put away. Crap. Well, at least his boxers were all safely inside their own drawer.

Eventually, Magnus plopped down on the bed and made grabby hands at him, inviting him closer, tugging at Alec's heartstrings with his two eyes until the young man relented and sat next to Magnus. He went for the kiss first but he didn't dare to move his hands, nor his body, shy and inexperienced, and he jerked in surprise when Magnus rested his palm on his thigh, his hand hot even through the fabric of his pants.

"Are you okay?" Magnus asked, a whisper against Alec's lips.

"Y... Yes," he answered.

Alec kissed him again to reassure himself - that he could do, knew how to, kind of at least, and Magnus was a great teacher and a gentle guide, so he wasn't afraid to go for it. More, though... He was fine with the prospect of it, just... Not now. Not yet. However, he should probably stop thinking about it: a hand on his thigh didn't mean that Magnus would jump his bones right there and then.

He relaxed, after some more kisses, and then he completely lost himself into the moment, into what he felt: Magnus' lips, soft and pliant under his own. His tongue, teasing, wet, caressing his own in a hot ballet, one second slow and lazy, the next fast-paced and exciting. Hands around his waist, urging him on, drawing him in, and Alec was so caught in these sensations swirling in his body that he didn't realise he had climbed on top of Magnus until he felt him, hard against his own crotch.

Alec faltered, losing a bit of his confidence, wondering what his or Magnus' next move would be, hesitating, because he was tempted to just roll his hips and see what would happen. He was straining in his jeans too but he wasn't sure, if he started something _more_... How far they would go.

He was glad that Magnus seemed content to keep kissing him and nothing else: he didn't move against Alec, didn't try to push his hands on his ass to _make him_ move, only raising one hand to cup his face and get a better angle to kiss him more deeply. Alec wasn't complaining at all. After a while though, he did moan a little in frustration as Magnus broke their kiss and stared at him with a smile.

"As much as I'm enjoying this," he started, "it's getting late. I should probably head out..."

"Or you could stay for the night," Alec shot back, before he blushed a little as he realised what he'd just suggested.

Was he trying to dig his own grave? He wasn't ready for more than heated kisses but asking Magnus to stay... Well. Again, sharing a bed didn't imply that they should do anything but he didn't want Magnus to think that he was playing with him, leading him on then saying no... Still, Alec really, really didn't want him to leave.

"Okay," Magnus eventually said, chuckling and kissing Alec once more, "Thank you."

Alec stood up then, his gait a bit odd, and he walked to his wardrobe; he wasn't (or maybe he was a little) ashamed to bend down, his back to the other young man, to collect a clean t-shirt and sweatpants to give Magnus for the night.

"The bathroom is there," he said, gesturing at the door that led to that specific room, in which a second door opened on Jace's bedroom, "There is a spare toothbrush in the cupboard above the sink."

"Thanks, darling. I won't be long."

"Take your time," Alec told him, pecking Magnus' mouth before he left for the bathroom.

Magnus stayed true to his word though and after a few minutes, he reappeared, looking fresh and relaxed, and he bounced on the mattress, squirming to find a comfortable position to sleep - he was squirming so much that Alec quite literally fled to the bathroom. Officially, he too needed to change into his pyjamas anyway.

He did, he brushed his teeth as well, and then there wasn't really any excuse to stay away from Magnus any longer but... Alec felt apprehensive. If he had to be honest, he was dying to feel Magnus' hands on him, his skin brushing against his skin, the weight of his body above him, but he was also terrified not to be good enough, to be too inexperienced to make it enjoyable for Magnus.

Hand hovering above the handle of the door, Alec waited, taking a deep breath, closing and loosening his fingers, unsure of what would happen once he'd be back into his bedroom. The no-rule-applies concept was great because Alec didn't feel clumsy in this process of being with someone: he didn't know for sure how long he should have waited before kissing Magnus, inviting him to spend the night... It was reassuring that he didn't have to follow a well-planned schedule and it helped that Magnus was rolling with it as well as guiding him.

Now, however, Alec would have liked to know the timing: after how many dates was having sex considered proper? What was Magnus expecting of him right then? Did he even expect something? They needed to talk about this first, right? Speak about boundaries and what they were comfortable with... Him as much as Magnus. Thanks to the campus rumours, Alec knew - or guessed - that the other man had quite a lot of experience but he could still decide to take his time and not jump into this headfirst. After all, they were so new for each other...

"Come on, Alec," he whispered to himself in a sort of pep talk, "It's not that hard. You just have to tell Magnus you're dying to have sex with him but you need time to work up to that. He'll understand."

Gathering his courage, Alec walked out of the bathroom dressed in his usual pair of shorts and the gray t-shirt he liked to sleep in, then he made his way to his bed where Magnus was already lying on his side. He didn't react to Alec's arrival though and when the young man came closer, he had to muffle a laugh as he understood why.

Magnus had fallen asleep already. Alec stared at him, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he took in Magnus' parted lips, his soft breathing, his left hand resting on the mattress as if to invite Alec to join him. Still smiling, trying not to wake up his Sleeping Beauty, Alec carefully slipped in bed next to Magnus, who immediately had the reflex to roll closer to the new source of warmth, before his arm sneaked around Alec's chest.

Oh. Okay. That... that felt really nice. Cocooned into Magnus' embrace, Alec relaxed, adding _sharing a bed_ to his mental list of things he was more than okay doing with Magnus: it was just sleeping, in each other's arms, but it felt amazing in its simplicity. Gently, Alec brought Magnus' hand to his lips to kiss his knuckles.

He didn't think he imagined the purr of contentment that escaped Magnus' throat.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! Don't forget to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments or through my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/evilkeshi), where you can find news about the upcoming updates as well. Thank you!


	6. Morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the next chapter, as promised! Enjoy :)

  


Magnus grunted when he felt himself slip from his dreams, which were quite pleasant, thank you very much, to enter the reality of a new day. Keeping his eyes closed, feeling his stomach grumble and his taste buds beg for coffee already, he let out a small sigh that made his pillow shiver under his cheek.

... What?

Lifting one eyelid, Magnus realised a bit belatedly that he wasn't resting on a pillow but on Alexander's chest - which was far better and more comfortable than any pillow in the world, if you asked for Magnus' smitten opinion.

The previous evening came back to him then and he lifted his head as he opened both eyes, eager to take in the sight of Alexander sleeping. It wasn't creepy, okay? He was just admiring the view... And losing himself into it, into the slow, steady breathing of this gorgeous man, huffing a laugh at the adorable little snores that came out from time to time.

As he glanced at his messy hair, his stubble, his long lashes casting light shadows underneath his eyes, Magnus wondered how he had gotten as lucky as to end up there, in that bed, to sleep next to this amazing human being.

They hadn't known each other for long, barely two weeks, but Magnus wouldn't deny that there was something there already, hiding in Alexander's eyes whenever he looked at him and in his own smile at the slightest wandering of his mind toward his fellow student. It was something good, something slow and delicate, sweet too, and it made Magnus feel emotions he hadn't felt for a while, since that disastrous relationship that had ended so badly he had thought he would never heal from the heartbreak.

What he had with Alexander, without choosing words to describe it so far, felt even better than the best moments he'd had with his ex-girlfriend, when he was so deeply in love he was blinded by it. This was different, a good different, and Magnus wanted to find out all the other ways in which Alexander was new and surprising.

The young man by his side suddenly shifted on the mattress and Magnus held his breath, thinking that maybe he had woken him up when he'd moved to look at him from a better angle, but Alexander soon settled comfortably again. Crap. He was really cute like this... Magnus' poor heart couldn't take it.

Raising his hand slowly, approaching his fingertips to Alexander's fluffy hair with care, Magnus twirled one of the longer strands around his finger, cautious not to tug, before letting it loose. He chuckled when it remained curled on itself, sticking up, but he decided to leave Alexander's hair alone before he gave in and curled half of his dark locks. There were many other great features calling for his interest anyway.

That tiny scar across Alexander's left eyebrow, for example. There had to be a story behind it, perhaps about childhood shenanigans, and Magnus was looking forward to hear it. Not only that one, he realised, but all of Alexander's little stories that made his Story and, maybe, theirs as well.

"What are you smiling about?" a soft voice asked.

Magnus nearly had a heart attack when he looked down, not because Alexander had startled him by speaking even though he was still asleep thirty seconds ago, but because he was staring up at Magnus with wide, innocent eyes, looking a bit sleepy still, but incredibly soft and beautiful.

"You," he answered in a breath.

A spark of doubt flashed in Alexander's hazel eyes and he asked, a little nervously, a bit self-consciously:

"What is so funny? Was I drooling?"

"No," Magnus said softly as his heart fluttered, and he booped the other man's nose, "I was smiling because you're cute when you're asleep."

He wasn't surprised when Alexander flushed red, although he dissolved into stunned giggles as the young man turned to lie on his stomach and quickly buried his head under the pillow.

"It's too early to make me blush," Alec mumbled.

Not admitting his defeat, Magnus shimmied down the bed a little, until he could slip beneath a corner of the pillow as well, startling Alexander into laughter when he kissed his cheek and eventually, they both reappeared.

"You'll have to get used to me complimenting you," Magnus told him, "Because I'm nowhere close to stop."

"I'll probably need time for that," Alec answered, apologetic, before his eyes widened. "Time! What time is it?"

Magnus shrugged, because his phone was in his pants pocket somewhere in Alexander's bathroom, where he'd left them after he'd changed the previous evening. The other man clumsily grabbed his own phone on the bedside table and one glance at the screen was enough to make him groan.

"I have a lecture in forty minutes," he complained, looking back at Magnus.

He was about to suggest that Alexander skipped and stayed in bed with him but he held his tongue, because he knew how stressed the young man could get when it came to his studies. Besides, Magnus had work to do as well, even though he only had one class in the late afternoon on Wednesdays... He usually worked on his assignment at the beginning of the day, though.

"Okay," Magnus said, although regretfully, and he rolled the comforter away so that he could get out of bed and get dressed, but Alexander's hand on his wrist suddenly held him back.

"Five more minutes?" he asked pleadingly.

A grin made its way on Magnus' face at that and he loved the way Alexander's eyes turned from begging to delighted when he nodded and jumped right back into bed, lying over the young man's chest, feeling his bubbly laughter resonate through his own body.

However, their _five more minutes_ took an unexpected turn when the door of the bedroom was pushed open with way too much enthusiasm as a shout bounced off the walls.

"Alec, you'll be late!" Jace screamed, "How was your date with... Oh shit! Shit, guys, sorry!"

The door slammed shut as soon as Jace realised that Magnus had spent the night and was currently on top of Alexander, although he probably didn't understand that nothing naughty was going on at all, and Magnus rolled to the side while Alexander face-palmed.

"I think I hate my best friend," he grumbled.

"I think I agree with you," Magnus answered with a laugh, kissing the back of Alexander's hand before he got out of bed for real this time. "I guess it's our cue to get up."

Alexander grumbled a little but he did leave the bed after a few more seconds - before he literally ran away from the bedroom after taking a good look at him in his clothes, stammering something about allowing Magnus to change. Magnus had to laugh at his escape and he promised himself that he would wear Alexander's shirt the next time they spent a night together and woke up in each other's arms: he seemed to like it a bit too much and Magnus was ready to tease him restlessly about it.

When he walked out of Alexander's bedroom, all set, and entered the kitchen, he stumbled upon quite the sight. Cowering under the kitchen table still decorated with the candles from the previous night, Jace was begging for mercy while Alexander was trying to hit him with a dishtowel.

"I didn't know he was still there!" the blond was protesting, "You should have put a sock on the handle of your door or something!"

"We weren't having sex!" Alec shouted in exasperation, "What if he doesn't want to see me again because you scared him?!"

"He didn't," Magnus interfered, making Alexander jump in surprise, "So if it's okay with you, I'll see you on campus around three? Before my Political Economy class?"

"Yes!" the young man exclaimed, ignoring Jace snorting behind him, "Meet me in front of the library?"

"That's a date," Magnus agreed with a wink, glad to see the faint blush on his boyfriend's cheeks.

_Friend_. Not _boyfriend_. Did he think boyfriend? Oops. Maybe they should discuss that point soon? Because Magnus was more than willing to call Alexander his boyfriend if he wanted it as well, he only had to say so.

"I'll see you later?" Magnus asked while Jace made kissy faces behind his roommate's back.

"Yes," Alec answered in a breath, unaware of his best friend's antics.

He walked Magnus back to the front door and opened it for him like a real gentleman, probably still sorry that Jace had interrupted their sweet morning. Rising on the tips of his feet, Magnus kissed his boy's forehead with a smile and squeezed his waist.

"Go and get ready," he whispered, pushing Alexander back inside his apartment, "You'll be late for class."

"Fine," the young man laughed, "See you later."

"Yep," Magnus said, rolling his eyes, because they were both ridiculous, reluctant as they were to part ways even though they'd be reunited in a few hours. "Library at three."

Alexander nodded, smiled at him one last time, and then he was slowly closing the door, holding Magnus' gaze until the door clicked shut. Right before that though, Magnus managed to catch some more of Jace's words.

"Quit eye-fucking your man, Alec! You did enough fucking last night!"

"Oh my God, Jace!" he heard Alexander yell back, "I hate you so much right now!"

The yelp that came next told Magnus that Alexander had finally managed to hit Jace with the dishtowel. Good. He hoped it hurt.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! As always, feel free to share your thoughts :) I won't be home next week, I'm leaving for a trip on horseback, but the updates will come back starting from the 25th. More info on my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/evilkeshi?lang=fr)! See you ;)


	7. Exes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I said on Twitter I would update on the 31st but I really need a break from writing another AU (so close to the end, it's killing me!) so there we go! Enjoy :)

  


Relief overwhelmed Alec when he caught sight of Magnus coming his way while he waited in front of the library, as planned. He was probably a bit ridiculous... He trusted Magnus and his word but after that morning with Jace storming in his bedroom and interrupting them in the middle of a sweet moment, Alec had been irrationally scared that Magnus would keep his distances.

Yet, there he was, freshly showered and looking as handsome as ever, grinning as he made his way toward him. Alec absolutely didn't trot forward until he could hug Magnus and kiss him properly - fine, he did. He also carefully placed his hand into Magnus' and tangled their fingers, looking at him in wonder, his eyes silently asking if he could have this, and the bright smile Magnus flashed him while he squeezed his hand was the only answer he had hoped to get.

Alec felt like he was floating as he and Magnus, after some debating, walked together to the coffee shop where they'd had their first date, planning on ordering coffees to-go since Magnus had a class to attend in less than one hour. His series of _firsts_ kept going steadily, the last one to date being this, walking side by side and holding hands with this man he was starting to fall for.

Well, _starting_... Not really. If he had to play the honesty card, Alec knew that he had been doomed as soon as he'd seen Magnus jumping away from that spider, two weeks prior. Was it too fast? Or could he still stick to Magnus _no-rule_ rule in this situation? He felt so good around him, so elated whenever he made the other student smile or laugh... And moan, because he was getting quite good at kissing, if he could say so himself. So, if he wanted to keep being happy and making Magnus happy, who could blame him?

"Magnus!" someone suddenly exclaimed behind them, right before they could enter the coffee shop. "What a surprise!"

Alec saw Magnus tense at the unexpected call and he grew a bit worried when he realised that the young man had recognised the voice and didn't seem to like it at all. He turned around first, curious to know who could stir such a reaction within Magnus, and he immediately got the feeling that the woman standing in front of them was no good.

She looked beautiful but there was something lurking in the shadowy depths of her eyes as she stared at the back of Magnus' head that rang an alarm bell in Alec's mind, that awoke a sudden feeling of queasiness, only strengthened by the slow, resigned way Magnus finally wheeled around to face her.

"Camille," he said on a low tone, void of any friendliness. "What a surprise, indeed."

Said Camille grinned but her wide smile didn't make Alec relax in the least: if anything, it only made him even more nervous and he glanced at Magnus with hesitation, not understanding what was happening there. He kind of grasped the fact that there was history between them, bad history, he would say, but he would appreciate some sort of proper explanation when the timing was right.

"It's been a while, Magnus," Camille said, her soft and honeyed voice only adding to Alec's uneasiness, not to mention that the woman finally looked at him, at his hand in Magnus', and she smirked. "Who is your pretty friend?"

She asked that with so much taunting, almost as if she expected him to crawl to escape her piercing gaze - a glare, even, telling him that he had nothing to do in Magnus' vicinity, that he didn't belong there while she did - that Alec didn't think before he corrected her.

"Boyfriend," he shot back, before he internally freaked out.

Shit. Oh shit. He'd just said that. Without consulting Magnus first. Without making sure that they were on the same page, that they both wanted something serious, more than going on a few dates, being in an actual relationship. Shit! It didn't even matter anymore that Jace had been a total idiot that morning because in the end, Alec would be the moron responsible for them drifting apart and... Why was Magnus squeezing his hand harder?

"Camille, this is Alexander, my boyfriend," Magnus told the woman with an easy smile now, as if this was the most natural thing to say even though they had never mentioned this possible development before.

Cue Alec's more intense breakdown.

"Well, well, well..." Camille drawled, "You certainly have a type, don't you, Magnus? Too bad it won't last."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Alec growled, rightfully offended, even more so when Camille laughed at him but didn't answer.

"If you don't mind," Magnus said, just a bit threateningly, "Alexander and I are trying to enjoy our date. I'd appreciate that you didn't ruin it for us. Goodbye, Camille."

Just like that, leaving Camille speechless in the street, Magnus turned around and tugged on Alec's hand, trying to get him to thread in his footsteps and enter the coffee shop. Alec went willingly, a bit dizzy with too many elements that didn't make any sense to him running in his mind, but he wanted to wait until they'd ordered their coffees before bringing any of these up. He wasn't sure to survive the boyfriend discussion anyway.

"Maybe we could sit for a few minutes instead of going back on campus now?" he suggested a bit shyly, relieved to see Magnus smile and nod at him.

Magnus had ordered a cappuccino. In his language, that meant that this encounter with Camille had shaken him up more than he let on and that he needed to relax, a fact that was confirmed by the cinnamon roll he had asked to go with his drink. Alec even considered not asking about the girl at all, choosing to let Magnus really unwind for a while before his class.

However, Magnus eventually broached the topic himself, for Alec hadn't been discreet nor subtle in his confusion.

"You can ask about her, you know," the young man said, opening the door to all the questions Alec might have in mind.

"I'm curious," he admitted with an awkward laugh, that he quickly swallowed along with a sip of his black tea. "I don't want to push you though, so if you'd rather talk about something else..."

Alec trailed off, expecting Magnus to jump onto another topic in order not to talk about Camille, so he was surprised when the other student chuckled and kissed him, making him taste cinnamon and love.

"You're sweet," Magnus told him with a smile, while Alec privately thought that such a smile, that did funny things to his heart, should be illegal. "It's fine though, we can talk about her if you want to."

"Then who is she?" Alec blurted out at that, having waited too long for an answer.

"Camille is my ex," Magnus answered without missing a beat, having said the truth about being fine with this conversation.

"She seemed... special?" Alec tried, "Bad special?"

"Bad special could be one way to say it," Magnus chuckled, although his amusement quickly dimmed. "Camille came into my life when we were in high school, at a time when I felt... lost. I didn't really know who I was and who I wanted to be and for a while, I was in a bad place. She helped me but... I don't know, she also made me depend on her, as if I couldn't live if she wasn't there."

"Doesn't sound too healthy," Alec commented quietly.

Even he, with his absolute lack of experience when it came to relationships, could see that. Magnus nodded his agreement and then he added:

"My friends got me out of there, thankfully. You should meet them, by the way, they've been asking about you."

"About me?" Alec repeated, a little dumbfounded, "How could they know about me?"

"I've talked about you, duh," Magnus answered with a laugh, "A lot, actually."

Oh. Okay. That was... good, right? It meant that Magnus was willing to keep Alec around, if he talked about him to his friends - probably close friends, since they'd been involved in the Camille mess. Great, that was... really, really great. Shit. What if these friends didn't like him or decided that he wasn't good enough for Magnus?

No, no, no. Now was not the proper time to freak out about the eventual dislikes of people he had never met. What mattered right then was Magnus and he, not what unknown friends could think about him. Alec should really redirect the conversation.

"So..." he said a bit nervously, before the words escaped his mouth uncontrolled, "Do you have any other ex I should look out for?"

Okay, maybe not like that. Still, the question made Magnus laugh so Alec guessed it wasn't entirely bad, although next time he would definitively turn his tongue seven times in his mouth before saying anything.

"You don't have to worry," Magnus told him, reaching across the table to cover Alec's hand with his own. "Camille is the only... bad ex I have. The others were great people. You might meet Dot at some point since we stayed friends but Imasu went back to Japan after his linguistic exchange, George enlisted and he was somewhere overseas last I heard, and I haven't kept in touch with the few others."

Alec was aware of the way his eyes had widened as Magnus spoke, so he quickly looked down at their hands, trying to keep in mind that these fingers tangled together were the only important thing right then. Not Camille, not Dot, not Imasu, not George or anyone else, _them_. He had known before that Magnus had some experience in the dating department, nothing was new. Still... How was he supposed to rival with Magnus' exes? Well, he wasn't supposed to, he shouldn't even think of rivalling because they were all different but... What if he disappointed Magnus?

"What about you, Alexander?" Magnus asked, interrupting the panic of his thoughts, "Any crazy ex?"

... Shit, again. Magnus' question was totally legitimate, Alec had asked first after all, but it was also the one question he had hoped to avoid for as long as possible. He had known that it was only a matter of time before the topic of ex-boyfriends (and girlfriends in Magnus' case) came up and he had tried to prepare himself to it - which didn't mean that he was completely relaxed at the thought of discussing it. At all.

"No," he mumbled, without meeting Magnus' gaze. "No crazy ex."

"That's good," the other man said, his smile audible in his voice, "They are a pain in the..."

"Magnus, I don't have any ex," Alec quickly said as he looked up, not even sorry for interrupting him since he was way too eager to get it over with, before he slowly added, "I haven't dated anyone. Ever."

Magnus let out a strangled sound of surprise but he didn't say anything, only stared at Alec with furrowed brows, as if his words were an enigma that he couldn't solve. That didn't make Alec panic at all.

"You're weirded out," he stated a bit sadly.

"I'm not," Magnus immediately protested, which made Alec's heart flutter with hope, "I'm just... Some things make more sense now. Like, the fact that no one offered you flowers before me. The way you were all hesitant while we were making out on your bed."

"You noticed?" Alec asked, surprised.

"Of course I did, Alexander," Magnus whispered gently, his gaze softening. "I care about you. I would have noticed the slightest sign that you were not enjoying it and stopped."

"I enjoyed it," Alec reassured him, "A lot."

"I know," Magnus chuckled, "That's why I kept going."

"Slowly," Alec pointed out, suddenly understanding why Magnus had satisfied himself with kissing him, deep and slow, when they were both hard against each other and could have taken the next step toward _more_ , "You didn't push."

"Of course I didn't... Did you think I would?"

"I didn't know what to expect," Alec admitted with a shy laugh, feeling a bit less tense now that Magnus and he were discussing the matter calmly, and glad that the other man wasn't reacting badly to the news. "I have zero experience."

The _unlike you_ went unsaid but Magnus seemed to hear it anyway.

"I don't mind," he told Alec, smile wide and bright on his lips, before he nodded at their hands, still joined on the table. "This, us, is important. Nothing or no one else. We go at our own pace, we do what we want to do, how we want to, when we want to. You tell me what you want or don't, and I do the same. Sounds good?"

"Very."

"Great."

They both grew silent after that but twin smiles had appeared on their faces and stayed there even as they finished their drinks. Alec felt like he would float away, feeling so light now that he was certain that Magnus wanted him, inexperienced and nervous and all, and they were walking out of the coffee shop when Alec remembered that there still was something left to discuss.

"Magnus," he called, voice soft and dripping with ecstatic happiness at the same time, "Do you want to be my boyfriend?"

"I thought I already was?" the young man shot back, waggling his brows and laughing at Alec's sudden blush.

"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing," Alec grumbled without heat, "I didn't think, I just didn't want Camille to make us feel like we were nothing to each other. Because we are, right?"

He tried not to let a hint of weak doubt into his intonation but Magnus, observant and caring as he was, didn't miss it.

"We are," he confirmed, kissing Alec before he added, "And I really want to be your boyfriend, Alexander."

Alec wasn't floating anymore. He was solidly standing in the street, anchored into a sweet reality by Magnus' hand holding his and tugging him forward with a laugh, and somehow it was even better.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Just so you know, this is Camille's only apparition, she won't stir drama or anything. Just saying ^^ In the next oneshot, Alec is going to meet Magnus' friends at a party! Let's see how it goes ;)


	8. Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I came back from Vienna yesterday with tons of ideas for Malec stories, including bits of this oneshot. I hope you'll like it!

  


Magnus opened the door to his flat with an excessively wide gesture, smiling when he saw Alexander's gorgeous face on the other side, although his brows furrowed when he realised that his boyfriend looked like a deer caught in headlights. He actually got a lot of information to process at the same time, because first, Alexander was clad in tight black pants and wearing an equally dark t-shirt, only sleeveless and showing toned arms that had Magnus go thirsty in less than one millisecond.

Second, he was clutching a bottle of rosé wine in his hands as if it were a buoy and third, the loud music coming from inside Magnus' flat seemed to scare him a little bit. Oops. Hopefully this party wouldn't be too much for his shy but growing-in-confidence boyfriend who preferred the quietude of a library to noisy surroundings.

"Hello, Alexander," he greeted him with a smile as he invited him inside. "I love your outfit."

"My sister chose it for me," the young man admitted with a quiet laugh, "I... I didn't really know what to wear."

Magnus nearly blurted out that Alexander could have come naked and he wouldn't have complained but he refrained himself, unwilling to make his boyfriend uncomfortable.

"I really need to meet her, if only to thank her for such a well-done job," Magnus said while taking the bottle Alexander was handing him, pecking his lips and stepping back to admire his attire once more, "You look amazing."

"So do you," his boyfriend answered without missing a beat, sincerity shining in his eyes as they looked Magnus up and down.

He preened at that, although he chose not to reveal that he had done it on purpose and had taken extra time to carefully pick his outfit, something that was adequate for a party but also something he had hoped would make Alexander stop and stare. _So far so good_ , he thought with a smirk, for even though he wasn't wearing a sleeveless shirt like his boyfriend, Alexander's eyes were set on his biceps, hugged by the silky fabric of his tight shirt.

"Come this way," Magnus told him with a smile as he took his hand, "I have some friends to introduce you to."

Alexander followed him, looking around, and Magnus didn't go too fast so that he could take in all his surroundings, and he made a detour to the kitchen to put the bottle of wine in the fridge. It was the first time that Alec came at his place - and Magnus promised himself that he would give a private tour to his boyfriend on another day, when there weren't as many people as this night.

Alexander looked a bit intimidated as he glanced at the students, some of which he certainly recognised, who were dancing and laughing and just having a good time, and Magnus had the sudden epiphany that maybe it hadn't been a good idea to plan on introducing his friends to Alexander when he already felt a bit nervous due to the noise and crowd.

"Do you need some air?" he asked, a bit worried. "I'm sorry, I should have thought... If you want to leave and meet them another time..."

"Magnus," his boyfriend interrupted him gently, "I'm fine, thank you. I can survive a party. Although... Yeah, maybe at some point I'll need to take a breather. But not right now, so don't worry."

"Okay," Magnus said with a relieved sigh, "Good. I don't want to scare you away."

"You couldn't even if you tried," the other man shot back, before he looked away, seemingly embarrassed by his own words, "So, uh... Your friends?"

"Right there!" Magnus exclaimed, accepting the abrupt switch in conversation, not without thinking that Alexander was way too cute to be legal. "Follow me."

Alec did, still holding onto his hand, and Magnus was well aware that he was sporting a stupidly enamoured smile when he finally reached the corner of the living-room where his friends had retreated, probably spurred on by Raphael. If anyone hated loud noises or parties more than Alexander - who actually felt more uncomfortable than he hated those - it was him.

His three best friends were there: Raphael, Ragnor and Catarina, who were equally excited to meet Magnus' new boyfriend and whose faces showed it just a little bit too much.

"Alexander, meet my best friends," Magnus said, squeezing his boyfriend's hand in reassurance when he felt the other man's hold tighten around his fingers in nervousness. "Best friends, meet Alec. Be nice to him."

He hoped no one had noticed how he'd introduced his boyfriend as _Alec_ when he had clearly called him _Alexander_ before, because he didn't really want to explain that calling his boyfriend by his full name felt like their own special thing, a little treasure he wanted to keep only between the two of them.

"As if we wouldn't," Ragnor protested, before his gaze zeroed in on Alec. "My, my, you're way too tall. Magnus will literally climb you like a tree."

"Ragnor!" Catarina scolded him before Magnus could, "You're impossible! Don't pay attention to him, Alec, he's an idiot."

"Hey!"

"Catarina is right, though," Raphael pointed out.

" _Et tu_ , Raphael?" Ragnor groaned, "You traitor!"

His friends were the absolute worst when it came to introductions, Magnus then decided. Thankfully - but oddly enough - their banter seemed to make Alexander relax a little and he even sat down next to Cat, who immediately proceeded with asking him a few questions that were meant to discreetly assess whether or not Alexander was right for her best friend. Magnus had known it would come but at least, Cat was the one doing it and not Raphael or Ragnor, who couldn't be subtle to save their lives... They would have made him feel like a suspect in a police station.

Alexander, being his lovely self, answered her questions with a smile, although he did glance at Magnus with wide eyes once or twice. Since these gorgeous eyes weren't screaming _help me_ though, he didn't put a stop to it, trusting his friend to respect Alexander's boundaries. Still, he was glad to see his boyfriend become a bit more confident after a few questions, to the point that he started to ask questions as well and soon, his friends were talking with his boyfriend like actual, normal people.

Magnus smiled at that, happy and also secretly relieved that they were getting along, until his grin vanished as he realised that he hadn't given Alexander anything to drink. Crap. He was the worst boyfriend ever.

"I'm so sorry, honey," he said, interrupting the conversation and standing up, "Would you like something to drink? I can't believe I forgot."

"Honey!" Ragnor repeated, cooing in the background, "Honey! I love these two already..."

"Guess I wasn't the only one nervous about me meeting your friends," Alexander joked, purposefully ignoring Ragnor, although the tips of his ears had turned red. "I'll have whatever you're having."

"Two Martinis then, coming right up!" Magnus exclaimed, ready to leave, but he hesitated and glared at his three friends. "Behave!"

He flashed Alexander a bright and hopefully reassuring smile before turning around and heading for his kitchen, zigzagging in the crowd of students he had invited. He had started to plan this party weeks ago, before he even met Alexander, and the dozen of fellow law students he had spoken to about that night had turned up with another dozens of friends. A chance his flat was huge... He dreaded the cleaning up already. It would be his last party in a while though, what with the finals approaching dangerously fast... On that note, he couldn't wait to schedule a few study dates with Alexander.

Magnus quickly prepared the two drinks and hurried back to the living-room, unwilling to leave his friends alone with Alexander for too long: what kind of embarrassing stories would they tell him? However, when he came into hearing range, he realised that he had nothing to worry about.

"Magnus really likes you," Raphael was saying.

"I certainly hope so," Alexander answered, sounding a bit offended that someone might suggest otherwise, "He's my boyfriend!"

"And do you?" Raphael kept going, "Really like him, that is?"

"Of course," the other said softly, and Magnus had to take a step closer to hear the rest, "I think... I've always dreamed of meeting someone like him."

"Oh God!" Ragnor exclaimed, rubbing his hands in delight, "He's a sap too. He's perfect for Magnus!"

"I am no such thing," Magnus protested, finally making his presence known - keeping Alexander's confession in a corner of his mind to cherish later - and he smiled as his boyfriend blushed a bit more, "Here's for you, darling."

He handed his boyfriend one of the two martinis and Magnus chased Alexander's glass with his own to clink them carefully.

"To us," he said while Ragnor pretended to choke in the background.

"To us," Alexander repeated with a smile, before he took a tentative sip of his drink.

It became instantly clear to Magnus that his boyfriend had never had a martini before, because he made a face, his nose scrunching up, his lips curling down in a disgusted frown that he tried to control and hide - to no avail.

"You hate it," Magnus understood.

"No, it's... uh..." Alexander tried, coughing a little, words failing him, "Great?"

"You're a terrible liar," he answered, laughing, "Give me your glass, I'll get you something else."

"No, I'm okay," his boyfriend protested, bringing his glass closer to his chest as if to protect it, before he tried to distract Magnus, "Hey, why wouldn't we go dancing?"

"Dancing?" he repeated, a bit surprised, since he hadn't pegged Alexander as someone who would willingly enter a crowd of dancers to join them. "Uh... Sure?"

Alec didn't need to hear more to put his glass, as well as Magnus', on the table and grab his boyfriend's hand to lead him towards the dancers. Still surprised but glad to see him take initiatives like that, Magnus followed, already feeling the beat in his body, until Alexander stopped, right in the middle of the others. He looked a bit lost.

"Do you really want to dance?" Magnus couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah," the other answered with a small laugh, "I just... I can dance, I swear, but usually, it's just my sister, Jace, a bunch of other friends and me. And now... Well, you're there."

"That's the point of dancing with me, right?" Magnus teased him.

"I know," Alexander chuckled, "Your friends are great but I really, really wanted to be with you. Closer to you."

"Like this?"

Magnus let his hands go down to the small of Alexander's back and he pulled him in, pressing them flush together, and his boyfriend's hands shot up to his arms so that he could keep his balance. Magnus didn't miss the way Alexander let one of his hands roam over his biceps.

"Now I'm intimidated," Alec confessed, although he grabbed Magnus' collar when he attempted to step back. "Stay! I'm... good. Really good."

"Oh really?" Magnus asked on a low, suave tone, "Then what about this?"

Smirking, he started to rock with Alexander, swaying from side to side to a slow pace that didn't match the music at all, but it didn't seem to bother his boyfriend, who was all too happy to follow his rhythm. The young man even closed his eyes, relying on his other senses to enjoy the situation to the fullest, and Magnus leaned in to smile against Alexander's neck. He felt him shiver as he placed teasing, open-mouthed kisses up and down his sensitive skin, caressing his bare arm with one hand, the other still on his boyfriend's lower back.

Magnus gasped when Alexander swiftly turned his head and dipped to catch his lips in a kiss that tasted a bit like martini and a lot like desire. His hands fell downwards, missing his back to stop lower, and Magnus felt the hesitant boldness in Alexander's fingers: Magnus kissed him deeper then, encouraging him to keep his hands right where they were. He was dying to test the waters, to start grinding against Alexander's crotch, just to see if he would go with it - and if he didn't, Magnus would apologise and go back to dancing. They had time. He didn't mind waiting and he would be happy to give Alexander all the time he needed to feel comfortable with what they were doing.

He was surprised, however, when his boyfriend was the one to pull him closer, one hand slipping to his thigh and lifting his leg to settle in between, pressing their bodies together, making Magnus moan against Alexander's mouth at the sudden heat. He kissed his boyfriend again, and again, his teeth gently catching on his lips and pulling, before diving in once more to show him how good they could make each other feel.

It felt so much like the night they'd made out on Alexander's bed as they grinded together, keeping it slow, revelling into each other's pants and soft moans while they grew hard in their briefs, oblivious to everyone else around them... Until someone sneezed. Loudly.

The spell was suddenly broken as Alexander abruptly let go and stopped kissing him - and Magnus tried to chase those lips, before he realised that his boyfriend was looking around with wide eyes. Did he... get so lost into the moment he hadn't realised there were people who could be watching them kiss? Did he feel uncomfortable? Was it a faux pas on Magnus' part, to have initiated something out there in the open?

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern.

"Yes," Alexander whispered, his cheeks red. "I... Uh, I kinda need that break now, though... You know, before I come in my pants in front of everyone?"

Magnus couldn't help but laugh at that, as it was the last sentence he expected to hear from Alexander under such circumstances, but he took his boyfriend's hand anyway and guided him through his flat toward his bedroom, where he figured the calm and quieter atmosphere would help the young man to feel more at ease.

He was glad he had somewhat cleaned up the previous day so that he was able to welcome Alexander in a relatively tidy bedroom. He watched as his boyfriend took in the golden sheets of the bed, the large wardrobe against the wall and the paintings in warm hues hanging a bit everywhere, or even the desk with a pile of textbooks, a smile on his gorgeous face as he discovered Magnus' small world.

"There's a bathroom behind that door," Magnus helpfully supplied, addressing his mental thanks - for once - to his father who had deemed necessary to buy his son an expensive flat with private rooms here and there, "If you want to take care of your problem..."

"Or you could give me a hand?" Alexander blurted out, before he flushed a deep red and turned around to hide his face, "Forget it, this is stupid, I'll... calm down and..."

"I'd be glad to help," Magnus told him honestly, stepping closer to his boyfriend to wrap his arms around his waist and peck the back of his neck. "If you want me to, that is."

Magnus gently massaged Alexander's tense shoulders in hopes to make him relax at least a little, for his muscles were too hard under his fingertips. He didn't want him to regret his previous words or feel self-conscious about voicing his desires because Magnus was more than willing to help him, in whichever way Alec would choose, and he was glad that even for a short moment, his boyfriend had felt comfortable enough to tell him what he wanted. Maybe he would change his mind though - and Magnus would respect his decision - but at least he got to decide for himself.

"Only if you want it too," Alexander eventually whispered, turning to face his boyfriend.

He didn't look as embarrassed as before, which Magnus considered as an encouraging sign of progress, and he even smiled at him - although a bit shyly - as he waited for an answer.

"I'll be happy to help," Magnus revealed with a grin, "You just have to tell me how you want it."

"Uh... I... I don't know?" Alexander stuttered.

"Do you want me to undress you?" Magnus suggested as he trailed his fingertips down his boyfriend's chest and to his belt, although he didn't try anything more.

"Maybe another time?" Alec answered a bit shyly, "You know, when we're... alone?"

Magnus nodded, understanding perfectly well that Alexander would neither feel completely comfortable nor focus on the present if he kept thinking about the people in the living-room, who could go looking for them and interrupt at the least opportune moment.

"Can we keep doing what we were doing?" Alexander then asked. "You know..."

"Grinding together?" Magnus clarified.

"Yes," the young man said, looking relieved that his boyfriend had put words to it, "It felt really good."

"Alright," Magnus whispered, gently pushing Alexander back toward the bed and its golden sheets, a colour he could already tell would enhance the hazel of his boyfriend's eyes. "Lie down for me."

Slowly, almost mesmerised, Alec nodded and let himself fall on the comfy mattress, bouncing just a little, smiling as Magnus knelt in front of him, caging him between his arms. Alexander's smile didn't look as shy as he expected it to but it seemed rather impatient, excited too, ready to learn and make new discoveries with his boyfriend. Overwhelmed by the explicit trust in his eyes, Magnus had to kiss him, softly but still deeply, focusing on the wet teasing of their tongues to give his hammering heart a tangible reason to beat so fast, one that wouldn't have him blurt out important words in the heat of the moment - he would have time to think about those later.

Still, aware of Alexander's need underneath him, he lowered himself at an impossibly slow pace that had his boyfriend grumble in frustration, until his groan turned into a breathless, surprised gasp when Magnus finally rocked against him. Alexander had already been hard in his pants for some time and it didn't take long for Magnus to catch up, since his boyfriend eagerly rolled his hips for him, in what seemed to be an automatic reply at first, before it became a conscious decision and effort on Alec's part.

His hands were clenching onto nothing as Magnus moved against him so he stopped, only for a few seconds, only long enough to hold Alexander's hand and relish the strength of his fingers as they squeezed around his own. Alec keened when Magnus picked up the pace, rolling their hips together with a more determined purpose: less teasing, more pleasure.

"Are you okay?" he asked as Alexander panted, his eyes rolling back with every push.

"Yes, yes, yes," he babbled, "Never been better, please, keep going..."

Magnus nearly laughed at so much eagerness but he refrained from doing so just in time, right before the first bubbles of his laughter could come out of his throat: this was all so new for Alexander, he didn't want to laugh, even out of tenderness and wonder, and turn his boyfriend self-conscious about the noises he was making. Magnus loved them.

"Magnus..." came Alec's soft voice then, a low whisper, a plea and a demand for more at the same time.

"You like that?" Magnus asked, a genuine question only slightly flirting with dirty talk, that Alexander answered with a feverish nod.

"Yes," he whispered, "Magnus, I... I'm sorry, I'm not going to last long..."

"Don't apologise," he told him, surprised to realise that he sounded much more coherent than he expected, given the circumstances and the rushes of pleasure going back and forth through his body. "There's no perfect timing, you can come whenever you..."

The young man didn't manage to finish his sentence, squeaking instead when he almost lost his balance as Alexander brought their joined fingers to his mouth. He kissed the back of his hand, and then he came with Magnus' name on his lips, amazement and bliss echoing in every broken syllable. These beautiful sounds made Magnus' every sinew tingle with pleasure and he didn't even notice his orgasm was coming before it was there, ripping through him in a strong wave, whiteness veiling his sight for a few wonderful seconds.

When he came to, Alexander's arms were wrapped around him, their bodies cooling off together, his boyfriend's ragged breathing a melody to his ears.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, without even moving, unwilling to disturb the peace of their arrangement.

"Yes," Alexander breathed out, a huff of laughter following. "I feel pretty good. How was it for you?"

"I feel pretty good too," he repeated his boyfriend's words with a grin, before he added, "It was amazing. I hope you're not worried about that?"

"Just a little," Alexander admitted with an awkward shrug that lightly jostled Magnus' head where he was resting on his boyfriend's collarbone. "I want to know if it was as good for you as it was for me..."

"It was," Magnus immediately answered, straining his neck to kiss his boyfriend - and miserably failing, his lips kissing the young man's chin instead. "Ugh, you're so tall."

Alexander laughed and Magnus' eyes widened as he heard the low rumble in the firm chest beneath his ear, delighted at both the sound and the sensation, and he realised that he wanted this. Not that he hadn't known he wanted Alexander before but... This made it so much realer.

Magnus could have all of this, this intimacy with Alexander, this feeling of peace and tranquillity just by hearing him laugh, this impression of being shielded from everything bad in his arms. Alexander wasn't his first boyfriend but he definitively was his first partner to make him feel so _right_.

It was saying a lot, he thought with a smile, even as Alec wondered aloud if they should go back to the party before someone noticed the host's absence.

"They don't need me to have fun," Magnus answered, settling down more comfortably on Alexander's chest, "I'd rather stay here with you for a while, if you're okay with that."

"Totally okay with that," his boyfriend chuckled, kissing the top of his hair before he laid his head back down on the pillow.

A while passed in comfortable silence, the music coming from the living-room beyond the door only dimly, and Magnus felt Alexander start to doze off under his cheek. He smiled at that, knowing that they would have to leave the bed eventually, if only to clean up, maybe even to go back to the party at some point, but in the meantime he was dead set on enjoying this moment.

This evening had not gone any way he had expected but Magnus didn't mind at all that Alexander kept surprising him - because these surprises were always very close to absolute perfection and this instant right then, as they lay in each other's arms, feeling happier than ever, was a definite proof of it.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far! In the next oneshot, our boys get together for a study date before their finals :) See you then!


	9. Study date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who's back? It is I, with the promised study date :) I'm a bit out of ideas for this collection after this oneshot though, so I might need some more time to update since I'm also working on other stories... In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!

  


"I'm going to diiiiiiiiie," Magnus whined, breaking the focused silence that had ruled over Alec's bedroom until then, with the sole exception of paper rustling whenever one of them turned a page.

"No you're not," Alec chuckled after he raised his eyes from the printed copy of late-Latin manuscripts he was rereading, trying to decipher the tiny, sloppy handwriting of the anonymous man who had reproduced Titus Livy's work. "You'll do fine, I'm sure of it."

The desperate student groaned, disagreeing with his boyfriend, and Alec distractedly ran his hand through Magnus' dark hair. He knew that Magnus would ace that final, no matter how much he believed in his own failure. He had spent the past few days reading the materials, writing summaries, making Alec play Q&A with him, so really, what could go wrong? Unless the professor decided to be a dick and asked the one question no one had thought would come up in the exam...

Glancing at his boyfriend, Alec couldn't help but smile at the sight of him, so grumpy at the thought of going through that damned final the next day but also looking so gorgeous... He felt his concentration run away as he stared at Magnus a bit longer. They made quite the scene, the two of them on Alec's bed, sprawled in a tangle of limbs and books; Magnus was lying on his stomach and across Alec's legs to study in his syllabus, open on the mattress under his nose. It couldn't be too comfortable a position but it seemed to work for Magnus, even though the student looked as if he got more and more bored the further he tried to commit his lectures to memory.

Alec had tried not to look at him too often, for he also had a final to (preferably) ace but Magnus' attire or rather, lack thereof, made it hard to resist sparing him a glance from time to time. According to Magnus, he couldn't focus if he didn't feel free of moving around and tossing as he studied, so he had taken off most of his clothes, to remain clad in his briefs only.

To be honest, Alec still wasn't sure that he hadn't done it on purpose, just to test his ability to focus while in the presence of a handsome, half-naked man. The result of the test? It turned out that he could probably do better if he tried to, as his eyes strayed more often than he would have liked to Magnus' ass. And back. And shoulders. And... literally every part of him. How could such a perfect man exist and even more curious, how could such a perfect man be _his?_

"Seems like my body's more interesting than your Latin," Magnus suddenly teased him.

Alec's eyes snapped back to his manuscripts and he felt his cheeks burn under the weight of that truth. Oops.

"It's not," he mumbled, staring at one sentence in the middle of manuscript.

_Is Numitorem atque Amulium procreat; Numitori qui stirpis maximus erat, regnum uetustum Siluiae gentis legat_. Alec didn't even understand anything to that sentence, his mind blank, his brain unable to conjure even the clumsiest translation, even though he knew it wasn't the most obscure work he had come across. He'd lost his Latin somewhere between Magnus' shoulder blades and neck.

"It _so_ is," Magnus giggled, turning around to display his toned chest.

"So not," Alec shot back, not even daring to raise his head and face Magnus' glorious musculature, too busy blushing at the mere thought of what he wanted to do to these abs...

" _So_..." Magnus wanted to say again, except that Alec gave up.

He threw his notes aside and rolled on top of Magnus to shut him up with a kiss, hurried, clumsy and eager, his tongue going on an adventure inside Magnus' mouth, happy to find an excited companion to travel with. It was a whole quest Alec was going on, his hands sliding across uncharted miles of skin that he named as he went forward: ticklish ribs, sensitive nipples, firm arms, pliant neck. From Magnus' mouth, his lips discovered a pulsing point on his throat, a dip between his collarbones, and he enjoyed every inch of this new map he was creating in his mind.

He had never seen, _felt_ , Magnus as naked as he currently was before this instant and Alec was taking advantage of it, making it his responsibility to memorise every part of him, turning his study session for his finals in a utterly different one, although he was still studying a masterpiece. This one, though, this one wasn't made of ancient words but expressed itself in a language of moans and sighs, small whines and demanding pleas that Alec drank at the source, his lips soft against Magnus'.

He felt confident in what he was doing, way more than he had back at Magnus' place, because now they were completely alone and didn't risk being interrupted by guests - not even by his nosy roommate, since Jace was on campus, in the middle of an exam. So Alec was moving along Magnus' body with ease, freed of inhibitions, kissing and giving teasing licks here and there, enjoying every single second of it, not to mention the reactions he got. He was the one arousing Magnus, the one making him pant and whine, and the thought was turning him giddy.

As much as he loved this though, he didn't want to rush into something he wasn't fully ready for. Magnus and he had barely started to get intimate and he absolutely loved the way they were taking their time to explore each other, he didn't need more at the moment. What about Magnus, though? Did he want...?

Glancing at his boyfriend, Alec searched his eyes and realised that there was no expectation in them, although they were hazy with pleasure, and he wondered if he should keep going in order to preserve that delighted spark, to make it grow, perhaps...

No. Alec didn't want their first time to be rushed because they still had to study for their finals, didn't want it to happen in the middle of their textbooks... And he wasn't ready, not yet. So he slowly stopped, observing Magnus to make sure that this was okay, that he didn't want more right there and then...

Magnus closed his eyes when Alec stopped moving to lie next to him, crumpling a page of notes in the process - his or his boyfriend's, he wasn't sure, although he didn't really care at the moment. The other student simply sighed in contentment before he reopened his eyes and smiled.

"Can we have more study dates?" he asked. "I love them."

"Not like we did much studying," Alec chuckled, "We should probably have this kind of date at the library, next time..."

"Where's the fun in that?!" Magnus protested. "We have all we need here, a bed, each other..."

Alec laughed a bit more, although it sounded less carefree this time as he asked himself, once again, if Magnus had hoped for more from this.

"Alexander?" Magnus called, noticing his trouble.

"Yeah?" he squeaked, before he nearly facepalmed: why did his voice always betray him?

"What are you thinking about, darling?" his boyfriend asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Do you want to make love to me?" Alec blurted out instead of answering Magnus. "Like, right now?"

Magnus blinked in surprise, absolutely not expecting that question, and he tilted his head to the side.

"Are you asking because you are worried I might want it right now and not you or because you want to and you think I don't?"

It was Alec's turn to blink and he needed a second to catch up, briefly wondering how Magnus could understand him so well, how he'd realised what he was afraid of.

"I just don't want to disappoint you," Alec mumbled, suddenly shy. "I don't want to... frustrate you? Make you think I want it and then stop in the middle of it just to..."

"Hush," Magnus interrupted him, pecking his lips. "Don't be afraid. You aren't going to disappoint me, you're not frustrating me, and even if we were ready to make love and you decided to stop in the middle of it, it wouldn't be a problem. I will always, _always_ , respect you."

There were many ways to answer such a declaration. Alec could have thanked his boyfriend, he could have kissed him, told him he would show him the same respect... Instead, he heard himself say:

"Magnus, I think I love you."

Of course, Alec promptly panicked. Opening wide eyes, he sat up abruptly and looked down at Magnus in shock.

"You... You don't have to say anything or... It's probably too soon but you said there were no rules or proper timing other than our own and I know I'm saying this completely out of the blue but I do mean it and I'm sorry if it makes it worse but I..."

"Alexander."

Alec stopped rambling as fast (or maybe even faster) as he had started to, growing quiet at his name spoken by Magnus' voice, void of judgement but still filled with the warmth he had come to associate with his boyfriend, like a gentle fire dancing in the hearth for a tired traveller on the way to love.

"Alexander," Magnus repeated, now certain to have his full, undivided attention, and he cupped his cheek. "There's no such thing as _too soon_. If you want to know, I think I fell for you the moment you stood up to save me from that spider."

Alec smiled like an idiot as he heard and processed Magnus' words, his heart filling with more happiness than he had thought he would ever experience.

"G... Good," he stammered. "That's... good."

"That's all you have to say?" Magnus shot back with a grin, "Good?"

"Uh... Kiss me?" Alec tried again, privately thinking that Magnus should really cut him some slack: he was as eloquent as he could be right then, too busy turning his boyfriend's words over and over in his head, too happy to find the words that would describe his feelings properly enough.

"Much better," Magnus answered, his breathy whisper lost against his boyfriend's lips as their mouths met.

Alec wholeheartedly agreed.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Latin sentence from Titus Livy's work means: _This man fathered Numitor and Amulius; he bestowed upon Numitor, who was the oldest of his blood, the long-enduring kingdom of the Silvia family_. It regards the foundation of Rome, Numitor being Remus' and Romulus' grandfather. Can you tell I'm preparing my lessons for my students at the same time as I write Malec? :p
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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